Top 5 San Diego Family Destinations

Blessed by a sunny climate that never varies ten degrees from moderate and a splendid setting along the Pacific Ocean, San Diego is the perfect place to take the family any time of year, but especially during the summer months that leave many U.S. cities sweltering. Non-stop outdoor recreation, a vibrant downtown, and world-class attractions for every age range keep the spirit of San Diego young and thriving, even though its heart lies in its Spanish beginnings as the birthplace of California. Here are some of our favorite family-friendly picks from DK Eyewitness Travel Top 10 San Diego.

Kids love to press their faces against glass tanks, inches away from whales, sharks, and manatees, And there's nothing more fun than to be drenched by a performing dolphin.

Address: 500 Sea World Dr.Phone: 619.226.3901Open: 10am-5pm daily; on some weekends and in summer, opens at 9am and occasionally closes at 10pm Admission: Adult $61.00 Children $51.00 www.seaworld.com/sandiego

Children’s Discovery Center at San Diego’s Museum of Man

Located on the museum's second floor, kids dress up as pharaohs and learn about ancient Egypt by building a pyramid, deciphering hieroglyphics, and listening to the god Anubis explain the mummification process. At a recreation of an archeological dig, children dig through sand for treasure and also learn about dating artifacts.

Children are fascinated by the 30 million plastic bricks fashioned into famous landmarks, life-sized African animals, and landscapes. In Fun Town, kids can drive real electric cars or pilot a helicopter; at the Imagination Zone, they can build racecars and robots. Magicians, ventriloquists, and puppeteers add to the fun.

At this park, herds of animals roam freely in enclosures that replicate their natural habitats. Compatible animals are mixed, allowing you to observe their interactions. Children enjoy the Petting Kraal and seeing the newborns at the Animal Care Center. Those over 8-years-old can accompany their parents on a photo caravan for an encounter with giraffes and rhinos.

A great family beach, filled with sunbathers, Frisbee-throwers, and boogie-boarders spread out along a broad, sandy white strip lapped by gentle surf. Kellogg Park, which runs alongside part of the beach, is a good picnic area for those who forgot their towels. The La Jolla Underwater Ecological Reserve is just offshore, so divers are usually out in the water.